Board game apparatus comprising play programming means

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus comprising a game board divided into a plurality of stations with some stations coded for playing pieces and equivalent coded stations on each side for opposed players, a plurality of different playing pieces on each side corresponding to coded stations, a planner on each side including a plurality of cubes having each side coded to indicate a particular action for a particular playing piece and a housing for holding a plurality of cubes for displaying one face of one cube at a time and arranged so that a player may produce an advancement of the plurality of cubes in the planner following one previously displayed to sequentially indicate moves of corresponding playing pieces on the game board.

United States Patent 1 Liston Jan. 9, 1973 BOARD GAME APPARATUS Inventor:

[76] Paul Liston, 36 Inverness Road,

Norwood, Mass. 02062 Filed: Sept. 13, 1971 Appl. No.: 179,769

Field of Search ..273/l31, 134

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 665,123 1/1901 McLoughlin ..273/131 K 1,772,583 8/1930 Barrett ..273/13l K 3,414,264 12/1968 Schriber ..273/l34 AD FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,187,095 4/1970 Great Britain ..273/1 34 AD Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney-McGrew & Edwards Game apparatus comprising a game board divided into a plurality of stations with some stations coded for playing pieces and equivalent coded stations on each side for opposed players, a plurality of different playing pieces on each side corresponding to coded stations, a planner on each side including a plurality of cubes having each side coded to indicate a particular action for a particular playing piece and a housing for holding a plurality of cubes for displaying one face of one cube at a time and arranged so that a player may produce an advancement of the plurality of cubes in the planner following one previously displayed to sequentially indicate moves of corresponding playing pieces on the game board.

ABSTRACT 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures ,1, i ci- =1 Illl PATENTEDJAH 9 ms SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR. 33 Paul Llsfon )4 ATTORNEY SHEET 2 BF 2 PATENTED JAN 9 I973 INVENTOR. Liston ATTORNEYS BOARD GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING PLAY PROGRAMMING MEANS This invention relates to a game, and more particularly to a game in which each of two players preplan several plays ahead which cannot be changed. The game utilizes a gameboard and a plurality of playing pieces for each of two sides. A planner or programmer is used whereby the plays are planned in advance and these predetermined plays must be followed regardless of the opponents moves. In one form, the playing pieces of the game represent exotic weapons of space. Each player of the game is provided with a series of playing pieces and the action, which may be a movement and/or other action capability, of each piece is controlled by preselection for at least several actions ahead. In one specific form, action, such as movement, e.g., turning and firing, of a playing piece is programmed three plays ahead and, once programmed, the programmed action of the particular playing piece cannot be changed.

In a preferred form of the invention, each player is provided with six playing pieces and a series of coded cubes having one face for each piece indicating that the player may make an advancing movement or turn corresponding playing pieces or fire if the pieces are properly positioned on the board. One of the playing pieces for each side is designated as the controlling piece, and the object of the game is for a player to either destroy or capture the opponents control or to move his own control across the board and off the board on his opponents side.

Included among the objects and advantages of the present invention is a game in which the plays are planned in advance, which plays must be followed regardless of the opponents play.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game in which each playing piece of a player is individually controlled by a preselected planning means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game which has planning means so coded as to indicate direction and distance of movement of playing pieces and the action by the player for each move may be at the players option to perform turning or firing or other desired action (such as castleing in chess) of these pieces.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a playing board according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an empty planner taken along section line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the collective playing pieces for one side according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one set of planning cubes according to one form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another set of planning cubes according to a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the planner taken along section line 66 with three code cubes in position for play and two cubes in reserve; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged elevation view of one of the faces of the planning cubes of FIG. 4 having the distance of movement indicated thereon.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, FIG. 1 shows a playing board 10 which is divided to provide 144 spaces, i.e., having twelve spaces along an end and twelve spaces along the side. The board includes a programmer or planner 12 at one side and a programmer or planner 14 on the opposite side, there being one for each player. The playing board is shown in its simplest aspect, being divided into squares which are adjacent one another, and the squares of the board may be colored in the form of a checkerboard where adjacent squares are contrastingly colored, providing a checkerboard effect. I

Each side of the gameboard is provided with a series of marked squares and, in the instant showing, is marked with six squares per side. The marked squares indicate the starting positions of particular playing pieces. The marked squares 15a through 20a are marked with the indication of the particular piece, and in a like manner on the opposite side of the board the marked squares are 15b through 20b, being-reversed to keep the same playing pieces at the same relative position for each player, as in chess.

The playing pieces for the game are shown in FIG. 3

and these include a piece 21 representing a command ship (comship), an aircraft 22, a warship 23, a No. 1 satellite 24, a No. 2 satellite 25, and a laser 26. Each playing piece comprises a base, an upright, and a top representing the particular playing piece. As shown in FIG. 3, the piece 21 includes a top 21a which is a spherical member, an upright intermediate portion 21b and a base 210. Each of the other playing pieces has a top representing a particular piece, an upright section and a base. The upright may be colored in opposite colors for identification of the players, i.e., one side has white and one side has black uprights. The base may be colorcoded for the particular playing piece. The same color in the starting square may then be used to identify the starting position for each piece. Where the pieces are made in black or white only, the identification symbol of the piece is marked on-its starting square. Thus, 15a and 15b represent the starting squares for the command ship, 16a and 16b represent the starting squares forthe No. 2 satellite, 17a and 17b indicate the starting squares for the aircraft, 18a and 18b indicate the starting squares for the warships, squares 19a and 19b are indicated by symbol for the laser and No. 1 satellite is in 20a and 20b. Thus, it is apparent that either a color code or symbols may be used to indicate the starting positions.

The game is played by moving the playing pieces according to a pre-programmed system. The program system includes a programmer housing, and as identical systems are used for both sides, an explanation of one describes both. A tubular member 30 has an inlet 31 and an outlet 32, and an upper viewing opening 33. An indicating flag 34 is provided in the upper part of the tube to indicate that a cube is in position to be moved forwardly for viewing through window 33. Before play begins, it is required that three cubes be inserted in the planner which positions the intermediate cube in a position to raise the flag as shown in FIG. 6 and this cube will be moved forwardly for viewing through window 33 when a cube is inserted in the planner from the left side. A vertical shield 36 is provided for each planner and a top shield 37 extends over the top of the shield 36. The purpose of the shields 36 and 37 is to V prevent the opposing player from watching the insertion of the planner cubes into the tube. A stop 38 outside the tube prevents removal of more than one cube at a time from the tunnel.

Each side is provided with five planning cubes, and when the set is color coded for the particular playing piece, the cubes are provided with arrows on each face except one and are all color coded to match the base of the playing piece. The planning tube is arranged to hold three cubes so that a face of one cube shows in the window 33 and the flag 34 is in the up position. If there is no cube in position to be moved forwardly for viewing through window 33 such as when three cubes are not initially inserted in the planner, the flag will be down and the game is forfeited by the player who fails to initially properly position the cubes in the planner. In the set depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, the command ship may move in any direction, the aircraft and laser only horizontally or vertically, and the warship and both satellites may only move on the diagonal. Thus, the arrows indicate the movement direction of the playing piece with the same color as the cube face having the arrow. While satellites 24 and 25 have been coded in the drawings with the same color designation, a suitable additional distinguishing means may be used on them and on corresponding cube faces 54 and 55, respectively, to indicate which satellite is to be moved. The face of the cube for the command ship has no arrow since it moves in any direction. When the cubes are placed in the tube, as for example in FIG. I, the direction of the arrow or symbol showing in the window 33 indicates the action desired of the playing piece, which may be a movement, e.g., turning in a particular direction and the exposed cube face is appropriately color coded to indicate the piece to be moved. Only one face of a cube shows in the window. The tube is of a size to prevent turning the cube once it is in the tube.

When using the color code, the cubes shown in FIG; 4, for example, five cubes 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44, are provided for one player and five similar cubes are provided for the other player. The cube 40 has a face 50 which is white to correspond with a white marking of the comship piece 21 and it has no arrow because the comship can move in any direction. The face 51 is color coded to the same color as the laser 26, and its arrow indicates that it can move only horizontally and vertically, since the arrow in the viewer must be either vertical or horizontal. In the same manner, the face 52 corresponds to the color marking on the aircraft 22, indicating that it also moves vertically and horizontally. On the cube 41, however, the face 53 is color coded to the warship 23 indicating that it moves on the diagonal, noting that the arrow will always be diagonal in the viewer. In a similar manner, the face 54 of 42 cube 2 is color coded to the satellite 24 and the face 55 is color coded to the satellite 25 indicating that both of these move on diagonals only.

As pointed out above, the cubes can be placed in any position with any of the six faces up to show in the opening 33. The cubes may be rotated to show the arrow in the particular direction for a piece to be moved.

The game is played by the two players choosing which side they will take white or black. The pieces are divided up according to the white or black designation' and are placed on their starting squares. Each player is=given five cubes and three cubes are placed in the tube of the programmer for three preselected plays. After deciding which player starts, the cubes are moved into the tube so that the top face of the first cube shows the play of the particular piece. That player then moves the particular piece according to the direction of the arrow and the. number of squares indicated to be moved, as shown on the cube face in FIG. 7, or fires the piece. Turning as used herein refers to the pointing of the player piece in the same direction as the arrow on the displayed coded cube in the planner if the symbol calls for a change of direction. Firing as used herein refers to one of the actions a player may take after he has advanced a new cube into the window, using his corresponding player piece on the board to destroy the opponents player piece if this player piece is in a par ticular relationship with his opponents player piece. This relationship of player pieces which allows firing at the option of the player is set forth in the next paragraph. The comship for the instant game may be moved exactly three squares, the aircraft exactly three squares, the laser exactly two squares, the warship exactly four squares, and the satellites exactly three squares.

The players in turn move a cube to the window from the left side as viewed in FIG. 6 to indicate the next move. The opponents pieces are removed from the board by firing on them by a particular piece; thus the warship, aircraft and laser will destroy the piece nearest them at which they point; the piece must have its symbol pointed in the direction of the arrow on the cube and it must point at a piece to destroy it. The satellites will destroy. any piece in all next adjoining squares. The comship cannot be tired and it does not destroy anything. The pieces move over other pieces except that the comship cannot land on any square containing the opponents piece, or cross over or land in a square at which one of the firing pieces is pointing. Whenever the symbol in the window calls for a play which cannot be made, for example, moving a piece off the side of the board or landing in a square occupied, the play is lost unless the piece can be fired. The satellites and the warship may orbit, that is, they may make a move on the diagonal to an edge square turn and move in that direction, and in certain instances may orbit in a corner which means that the piece moves at a diagonal toward a square adjacent the corner square, then 90 across the corner to the other side square and then 90 back in the direction from which it came. The aircraft and laser cannot orbit and the player must abide by the rule that he cannot play if those two would go off the side on a turn. As pointed out above, the game is over when the opponent's comship is destroyed or the players comship moves across the board and off on the opponents side.

When a set is made up in black and white, there are no color indicia and the cubes must be provided with figures or symbols which indicate the actual playing piece and the direction in which they may move. For this purpose, the cubes shown in FIG. 5 have symbols which depict the actual piece. The direction in which any piece moves or turns toward is indicated by the pointeddirection of the indicia on the cube. For exam ple, block 60 is provided with an indicia of an aircraft 61 to show that it moves vertically and horizontally, and the indicia 62 of the No. 2 satellite indicates that it moves diagonally. On block 64 the aircraft 66 indicates that it moves vertically as does the depiction of the laser 65 on the side of block 67. The symbol on the upper face of cube 67 is for the command ship for one player corresponding to coded space a on the board. The symbol on the upper face of cube 70 is for the command ship for the other player corresponding to coded space 15b. In a similar manner, all sides have an indication of one of the six pieces with its direction of movement. Thus, the set may be made in black and white without the added expense of the color indicia.

The flag 34 indicates that at least one block has been previously placed in position in the planner to be moved forwardly for viewing by an advance of the cubes, and the flag must be up throughout the play or the game is lost by the player whose flag goes down. This is to insure that at least two plays are made in advance and cannot be changed following the opponents movements of pieces. It may, also, be desirable to indicate the number of squares of movement on each face of the cube and this, of course, may be provided along with the color indicia as shown in FIG. 7 or with the figure indicia (FIG. 5) for the particular playing piece (not shown).

While the game has been shown with particular types of playing pieces representing particular sophisticated space weapons and crafts, it is obvious that other indicia may be utilized in place of the same, for example, providing battleships, submarines, etc. in place of the weapons and vehicles indicated. However, the programming of the movement of these different vehicles would be the same and within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A game comprising a game board divided into a plurality of individual stations and arranged for two opposed players, some of said stations on one players side being coded to indicate starting locations for prescribed playing pieces, equivalent stations being provided on the other players side of said board for equivalent playing pieces; a plurality of different playing pieces, and each opposed side having equivalent playing pieces; a planner on each of opposed sides of said board including a plurality of cubes having each side coded so as to indicate a particular action of a particular playing piece, and including means for holding a plurality of cubes in preselected position and for displaying one face of one cube at a time; and means whereby each said planner may be actuated by a player to produce an advancement of the plurality of cubes following the one previously displayed so as to sequentially indicate moves of selected playing pieces.

2. A game according to claim 1 in which each side has six playing pieces.

3. A game according to claim 1 in which said holding means holds three cubes in preselected position.

4. A game comprising a game board divided into 144 individual spaces and arranged for two opposed players, six of said spaces on each side being coded to indicate starting locations for six prescribed playing pieces, equivalent coded spaces being provided on opposed sides of said board; six coded playinig pieces provlded for each player, and each oppose side having equivalent playing pieces; a planner on each of opposed sides of said board including a plurality of cubes having each face coded so as to indicate a particular action of a preselected playing piece, and including means for displaying one face of one cube at a time; and means whereby each said planner may be actuated by a player to produce an advancement of the plurality of cubes following the one previously displayed so as to sequentially move said cubes into position for displaying one face of each cube and thereby indicating a move of one of said pieces.

5. A game comprising a game board divided into a plurality of individual stations and arranged for two opposed player's, selected stations on each players side being coded to indicate starting locations for prescribed playing pieces, each opposed side having equivalent selections of a plurality of different playing pieces, a planner on each of the opposed sides of said board including a plurality of cubes, each having each side coded so as to indicate a particular action of a given playing piece, and including means for holding a plurality of cubes in preselected positions and for displaying one face of one cube at a time, and manually actuated means on the planner for actuation by a player for producing a progressive advancement of a selected plurality of cubes wherein a given cube follows one previously displayed so as to sequentially indicate moves of selected playing pieces by the player operating the planner. 

1. A game comprising a game board divided into a plurality of individual stations and arranged for two opposed players, some of said stations on one player''s side being coded to indicate starting locations for prescribed playing pieces, equivalent stations being provided on the other player''s side of said board for equivalent playing pieces; a plurality of different playing pieces, and each opposed side having equivalent playing pieces; a planner on each of opposed sides of said board including a plurality of cubes having each side coded so as to indicate a particular action of a particular playing piece, and including means for holding a plurality of cubes in preselected position and for displaying one face of one cube at a time; and means whereby each said planner may be actuated by a player to produce an advancement of the plurality of cubes following the one previously displayed so as to sequentially indicate moves of selected playing pieces.
 2. A game according to claim 1 in which each side has six playing pieces.
 3. A game according to claim 1 in which said holding means holds three cubes in preselected position.
 4. A game comprising a game board divided into 144 individual spaces and arranged for two opposed players, six of said spaces on each side being coded to indicate starting locations for six prescribed playing pieces, equivalent coded spaces being provided on opposed sides of said board; six coded playing pieces provided for each player, and each opposed side having equivalent playing pieces; a planner on each of opposed sides of said board including a plurality of cubes having each face coded so as to indicate a particular action of a preselected playing piece, and including means for displaying one face of one cube at a time; and means whereby each said planner may be actuated by a player to produce an advancement of the plurality of cubes following the one previously displayed so as to sequentially move said cubes into position for displaying one face of each cube and thereby indicating a move of one of said pieces.
 5. A game comprising a game board divided into a plurality of individual stations and arranged for two opposed players, selected stations on each player''s side being coded to indicate starting locations for prescribed playing pieces, each opposed side having equivalent selections of a plurality of different playing pieces, a planner on each of the opposed sides of said board including a plurality of cubes, each having each side coded so as to indicate a particular action of a given playing piece, and including means for holding a plurality of cubes in preselected positions and for displaying one face of one cube at a time, and manually actuated means on the planner for actuation by a player for producing a progressive advancement of a selected plurality of cubes wherein a given cube follows one previously displayed so as to sequentially indicate moves of selected playing pieces by the player operating the planner. 